When should you use contact lenses?

The idea for contact lenses could be traced to Leonardo da Vinci, who in a 1509 textbook noted that he could change his vision by placing his face in a container of water. This idea was the basis for the development, over the following centuries, of ideas such as “tubes attached to the eyelids” or “capsules filled with animal gelatin”.

But today, they are a common solution for those who have visual problems and need to adjust their vision. “The decision to use one or another type of lens, whether contact or frame, depends solely on the comfort and preferences of each person,” explains María Josefina Fry, ophthalmologist at UC CHRISTUS .

Both types of lenses have advantages and disadvantages. “Contact lenses may be more comfortable to use in people who play certain sports, where glasses may be inconvenient or risky, also in patients with very high prescriptions, for whom the lenses are very heavy or in people with pain. of certain specific eye diseases. cornea,” he explains.

Yasmín Eltit, ophthalmologist at Clínica Dávila, says that “the idea of ​​contact lenses is that they are used in parallel with glasses, and not as a single element”. For her, it is very important to pay attention to the maximum duration of use, how they are maintained and used, the risk of complications and their warning symptoms.

“Contact lenses are used to correct refractive errors, irregular astigmatism, corneal ectasias and alterations in the surface of the cornea,” explains Darío Vásquez, ophthalmologist at Clínica Ciudad del Mar. For Rony Figueroa, medical technologist in Ophthalmology and Optometry at Optica NexGen Vision represent a good option for people with high anisometropia, which represents the power difference in the eyes. “This way you can compensate for the imbalance caused by the different weight of your optical lenses,” he explains.

In economic terms, contact lens use is generally associated with a higher cost, says Figueroa. Not only because of the initial cost, but also for the following reasons:

• They require more frequent renewal than glasses
• You constantly have to invest money in cleaning fluids
• They require more care

“There are soft contact lenses with different levels of useful life: there is one, fifteen and thirty days of duration,” explains Fry, however, the duration of each lens is linked to its ability to allow good oxygenation of the cornea. and stay hydrated.

“Although it is true that the lens continues to be useful for a period longer than its duration, it is not recommended to prolong its use, as this increases the risk of developing infections (since particles and particles micro-organisms can adhere to the lens), and the comfort of the lens is generally less,” explains the UC CHRISTUS professional.

As for rigid lenses, their durations are much longer: between 6 months to 1 year. “No matter how long or hard each lens is, it is never advisable to sleep with contact lenses on,” he warns.

For example, taking the case of a lentil that lasts thirty days, Figueroa explains that once opened, the lens lasts 30 days. After that, it starts to lose its properties, “it accumulates proteins and ocular debris, it loses image sharpness and becomes more likely to harbor a microorganism and generate an infection,” he says .

Soft contact lenses are made of flexible, oxygen-permeable materials. “They are generally made of silicone hydrogel, with a high percentage of water, which makes them more permeable to oxygen, more malleable and provides greater wettability and greater comfort to the eye, in addition to their very short adaptation times in most cases,” explains Figueroa. They are an excellent alternative for people with eye sensitivity.

“There are soft contact lenses with a duration of 1, 15 and 30 days. The duration of each lens is linked to its ability to allow good oxygenation of the cornea and to remain hydrated,” explains Fry. Even if the lens remains useful longer than its duration, the professional’s recommendation is clear: do not prolong its use. “In doing so, we increase the risk of developing infections (since particles and microorganisms can adhere to the lens), and the comfort of the lens is generally lower,” explains Fry.

“It is better to use hard lenses in patients with very high astigmatisms, which cannot be corrected with soft lenses, or in some patients with corneal diseases,” comments Fry about this type of lenses. Their disadvantage, apart from slight discomfort due to stiffness, is that they are more expensive and the adaptation time is a little slower. “However, they last much longer than soft lenses,” emphasizes the specialist.

“Hard lenses differ from soft lenses because the former retain their shape, allowing them to “correct” the curvature of the cornea in diseases such as keratoconus and astigmatism., especially the irregulars,” analyzes Eltit. And continues: “soft lenses are the most common because they are more comfortable, since they adapt to the shape of the eye.”

Fry explains that Disposable lenses, or daily lenses, are one-day lenses that are put on in the morning and thrown away in the evening. “This has the great advantage that they do not require all the care of long-lasting lenses, as they do not need to be stored and therefore no cases or disinfectant solutions are used for cleaning. By being handled less, they are also associated with a lower risk of infections,” he comments. They are a good option for people who only need them for sporadic activities, such as a sport or a specific situation, and who wear glasses the rest of the time.

“They are always sterile and require no maintenance or cleaning fluids. They are usually found in a wide range of graduations, so they are a good option for use,” says Figueroa.

• Your doctor’s advice: First, consult an ophthalmologist to get an accurate prescription for your contact lenses, which includes information about your prescription and the expression of the problem.
• Comfort and affinity: Just like Cinderella, you should try different types and brands of contact lenses until you find the ones that offer you maximum comfort and a perfect fit, always from the hand of a professional.
• Cost and availability: Are you planning your choice? If so, it’s best to consider the long-term cost of your contact lenses, including accessories such as cleaning solutions and cases. The other thing is to map the stores where you can get the products. If they are rare or hard to get, every time you want to stock up, it could pose a problem.

Once you have decided what type of contact lenses you will use, it is important to follow the care regimen safely and effectively.

“Contact lenses should be used responsibly and following the instructions of your ophthalmologist or contact specialist. Misuse is associated with infections that can have permanent consequences on vision and some damage to the cornea due to prolonged use,” warns Fry.

To avoid complications related to contact lenses, she poses the following ten general considerations:

1. Do not wear contact lenses for more than 8 to 10 hours per day.
2. Remove them every evening. Never sleep with glasses.
3. Never swim with glasses (not in the shower, in the swimming pool, in the lake or in the sea)
4. Wash lens cases with a disinfectant solution once a week and wash the lenses in the palm of your hand with the same solution, always before using them.
5. Never wash lentils with tap water.
6. Do not use the lenses for a period longer than their lifespan.
7. Ideally, don’t store contact lenses in the bathroom.
8. Use preservative-free artificial tears when you need to lubricate your eyes while wearing lenses.
9. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses.

“Once you get home, the ideal would be to remove your contact lenses and wear glasses,” suggests Eltit. “If you don’t leave the house, don’t use them either and try to rest a few days a week.” It warns that “if you experience risky symptoms, such as red eyes, photophobia, tearing, pain or blurred vision, remove the lenses, throw them away and consult a specialist.”

Here, step by step, is a description offered by Vásquez, ophthalmologist at Clínica Ciudad del Mar. The idea is to always be able to do it in front of a well-lit mirror and with a towel on the dressing table, especially the first one. a few times, where there may be lens wobble and shift due to natural clumsiness.

1. Wash your hands with mild soap : Rinse completely and dry with a lint-free towel before touching the lenses.

2. Make sure the lens is on the right side : To do this, place the lens on the tip of your index finger and check its profile. The lens should have a concave shape, similar to a bowl.

3. Use your most coordinated hand : with this, hold the lens in your index finger and with the other hand lift the upper eyelid, to avoid blinking.

4. Bring the contact lens to the eye with stability: Look up as you place the lens on your eye, slowly release your eyelid and close your eye to allow the lens to stabilize.

The steps must be repeated with the opposite eye. In the following video you can see the entire sequence in action.